If you find yourself in the situation of a divorce from your spouse with children involved, there is a chance that you will be dealing with navigating child support payments. Child support payments are intended to help children’s quality of life when they have been impacted by divorce. This part of a divorce typically has a lot of parents asking many questions about how it all works. These payments are so important to a child being raised and how this amount is calculated considers many different factors of the family and the parents’ individual situations. A lawyer for child support can also assist in the courtroom to help calculate child support payments based on an individual’s specific circumstance as well.
Throughout the different states, the exact child support payment amount can differ. Each state has their own set of specifications and extenuating circumstances that it accounts for but there are some general guidelines that are followed when looking to calculate the amount of child support that one former spouse is to pay the other spouse.
The Financial Situation of the Parents
One of the most common factors and typically the first factor that is considered is the financial situation of the both of the parents individually. As a married couple, there could be situations of only one spouse working or both spouses working. As a newly split entity, any individual incomes will be elevated throughout this process. The ability to earn money, such as education and skill levels, will also be evaluated to determine what is the potential that could be made amongst the parents individually. Work schedules and voluntary unemployment will also be evaluated as the over financial situation for the parents.
The Arrangement of Custody
It will be determined by a judge who will be receiving custody over the child in the event of a divorce. After that has been determined, it is typically the parent who holds primary custody who is on the receiving end of the child support payments. This is due to the fact that the parent with custody will be more responsible to ensure many of the material needs of the child are being met. This financial support is to help ensure the welfare of the child and to help guarantee that all of their needs are being met. This child support fund is intended to be used for essentials like food, clothes, school supplies, extracurricular activities, and helping to fund other aspects of a child’s life. While it is generally the parent with the custody responsibility that will receive these payments, there are other circumstances that could permit the other parent to receive it instead. An example is if the former spouses make a disproportionate amount of money compared to the other parent.
The Overall Needs and Specifics
Child support payments also come down to examining factors such as the amount of the children and the ages of the children at the time of the divorce. Different children have different needs and judges will do their best to help determine a fair amount that will be in the best benefit for the child. The medical needs of children can also come into play as some have more bills and medical care treatment required than others. Daycare needs, disability circumstances, and health insurance are also factors that are looked at to identify the overall needs and specific factors of a situation. These payments are meticulously calculated to help ensure that everything is being done in the best interest of the child in respect to each parent’s specific situation.
